Screeching Weasel

While Naked Raygun might be Chicago's most beloved punk band, Screeching Weasel is arguably the most well-known on a national level. From 1986 until 2001, the band issued a slew of LPs, EPs, and compilation tracks despite frequent line-up changes, record label problems, break-ups, and controversies and animosities that seemed to follow frontman Ben Weasel. In 2009, Ben announced that the band was reforming again, this time without guitarist and co-founder Jughead. The band went under some other reformations and break-ups, and then reformed in 2011. At a SXSW performance that year, Ben Weasel punched an audience member, after which the then current line-up quit the band. Weasel reformed the band again, and released the EP Carnival of Shade-In-Froid.

Ben Weasel also published the book Punk is a Four Letter Word, a partial novel and collections of columns, articles and essays that document Chicago's punk scene and Ben's opinions on music, the sub-culture of punk, the Chicago scene, the music business, "selling out" to large record companies, and much, much more. The book had some mixed reviews but was mostly a large success both regionally and nationally.

Members

Current Line Up

• Ben Foster aka Ben Weasel - Vocals/Guitar (1986-1989, 1991-1994, 1996-2001, 2004, 2009- )
• Dan Schafer aka Dan Vapid aka Sewercap - Bass/Guitar (1989, 1991-1994, 1996-1997, 2004, 2009- )
• Simon Lamb - Guitar (2009- )
• Justin Perkins - Bass (2009- )
• Adam Cargin - Drums (2009- )

Former Members

• John Pierson aka Jughead - Guitar (1986-1989, 1991-1994, 1996-2001, 2004)
• Dan Sullivan aka Dan Panic - Drums (1991-1994, 1996-1997)
• Mass Giorgini - Bass (1998-2001, 2004)
• Dan Lumley - Drums (1998-2001, 2004)
• Steve Dubick aka Steve Cheese - Drums (1986-1988)
• Vince Vogel aka Vinnie Bovine - Bass (1986-1988)
• Brian McQuade aka Brian Vermin - Drums (1988-1989)
• Philip Hill - Guitar (2000-2001)
• Warren Fischer aka Fish - Bass (1988-1989)
• John Stockfisch aka Johnny Personality - Bass (1992)
• Dave Lally aka Dave Naked - Bass (1991-1992)
• Zac Damon - Guitar (1998-1999)
• Scott Conway aka Gub - Bass (1992)
• Douglas Ward aka Doug ID Under aka Doug Wonderful - Guitar (1989)
• Mike Dirnt - Bass (1994)

Discography

• 27 song demo tape (1986)
• Screeching Weasel LP (Underdog Records 1987)
  • Licensed to Shikagu Trading/What Goes On? in 1987, who issued it in England.
  • Reissued on CD by VML Records in 1997 with 12 bonus tracks.
• split 7" w/Moving Targets (What Goes On? 1987)
  • This was a promo released by What Goes On? and limited to 100 copies.
  • Features 2 songs from the first album
• Boogadaboogadaboogada LP (Roadkill Records 1988)
  • The first 200 copies of the original pressing included an insert of the band bowling in the nude.
  • Licensed to Wetspots in 1988, who issued it in England with an entirely different cover (a cartoon drawing of a paper boy flipping off an old man).
  • Reissued on LP/CS/ CD by Lookout Records in 1992.
  • Reissued on CD by Asian Man Records in 2005.
  • Reissued on colored vinyl by Recess Records in 2008 (1st pressing: 500 copies on grey vinyl; 2nd pressing: 500 copies on pink vinyl; 3rd pressing: 500 copies on blue vinyl; 4th pressing: 500 copies on white vinyl).
• Punkhouse 7" EP (Limited Potential Records 1989)
  • Reissued by No Budget Productions in 1991 w/o a sleeve
  • Reissued in 1993 by Selfless Records with a different cover photo (taken at the same session as the original photo).
  • Included on the Kill The Musicians CD.
• My Brain Hurts LP/CS/CD (Lookout Records 1991)
  • Reissued on CD by Asian Man Records in 2005.
  • Reissued on LP by Recess Records in 2009 with new cover art (1st pressing: 2000 copies, clear, white, orange, and pink vinyl, 500 copies per color).
• Pervo-Devo 7" EP (Shred of Dignity 1991)
  • Came with the last issue of Ben's sex-themed 'zine, Teen Punks In Heat.
  • Repressed by the same record label in 1992, only they had changed their name from "Shred of Dignity" to "Outpunk".
  • Included on the Kill The Musicians CD.
• Snappy Answers To Stupid Questions 7" EP (Selfless Records 1992)
  • Live performance on WFMU.
  • Limited to 1500 copies on blue vinyl
• Happy, Horny, Gay, and Sassy 2x7" EP (Selfless Records 1992)
  • A repress of "Snappy Answers...", but it also included a second, one-sided 7" and a second cover which was a graphic close-up photo of a gay blow job.
  • Limited to 300 copies on pink vinyl.
• Wiggle LP/CS/CD (Lookout Records 1993)
  • Was supposed to come out in 1992, but was delayed until 1993. The copyrights still read 1992.
  • The Lookout CD version had 3 bonus tracks (2 demos w/the Wiggle line up and a comp track from 1989).
  • Reissued on CD by Asian Man Records in 2005 with an additional bonus track.
  • Reissued on colored vinyl by Recess Records in June 2009 (1st pressing: 2000 copies, clear, white, red, and green vinyl, 500 copies per color).
• Radio Blast 7" EP (Underdog Records 1993)
  • Pressed on burgundy vinyl and black vinyl.
  • Blink-182 covered the B-side, "The Girl Next Door".
  • Included on the Kill The Musicians CD.
• Ramones LP (Selfless Records 1993)
  • A cover of the Ramones entire 1st LP.
  • The first pressing came in cardboard sleeve and was available on both white and black vinyl.
  • Second pressing consisted of 300 copies on white vinyl for SW's 1993 tour. Instead of coming in a cardboard sleeve, it came with silkscreen covers.
• You Broke My Fucking Heart 7" EP (Lookout Records 1993)
  • Included on the Kill The Musicians CD.
• split 7" EP w/Pink Lincolns (VML Records 1993)
  • Limited to 1500 copies
  • One SW song was included on the Kill The Musicians CD, the other was included as a CD bonus track on Wiggle.
• Anthem For A New Tomorrow LP/CS/CD (Lookout Records 1993)
  • Reissued on CD by Asian Man Records in 2005.
• El Mozote/Janelle split 7"/CD EP w/Born Against (Lookout Records 1993)
  • The CD version contains an extra track by each band from different compilations.
  • These songs have never seen reissue.
• Suzanne Is Getting Married b/w Waiting For Susie 7" single (Lookout Records 1994)
  • Lookout pressed the sleeves with a cartoon drawing of 2 punks on a wedding cake. At Ben Weasel's insistence, a photo from the wedding of the real Suzanne was pasted over the drawing. The record was later issued without the pasted photo.
  • Included on the Thank You Very Little double CD.
• How To Make Enemies And Irritate People LP/CS/CD (Lookout Records 1994
  • Reissued on CD by Asian Man Records in 2005.
  • The original record insert included a detailed discography of the band (up to 1994).
• Kill The Musicians CD (Lookout Records 1995)
  • CD only compilation of out of print and unreleased tracks.
  • Reissued on CD by Asian Man Records in 2005.
• Bark Like A Dog LP/CD (Fat Wreck Chords 1996)
• Formula 27 7" EP (Vermiform 1996)
  • Reissued by Panic Button in 1998.
• Major Label Debut 12" EP/CD EP (Panic Button Records 1998)
  • The first release for Panic Button Records.
• Television City Dream LP/CD (Fat Wreck Chords 1998)
• The Beat Is On The Brat CD (Panic Button Records 1998)
  • CD only repackaging of the Ramones LP and "Formula 27" EP.
• Emo LP/CD (Panic Button Records 1999)
• Jesus Hates You 7" EP (Probe Disc 1999)
  • Featured covers of the Stooges, Stiff Little Fingers, and the Subhumans (Canadian band)
  • Released as a picture disc with the photo of a naked SW fan.
  • Included on the Thank You Very Little double CD
• Thank You Very Little 2xCD (Panic Button Records 2000)
  • Double CD collection of mostly unreleased tracks. 2nd disc has demos and a live show.
• Teen Punks In Heat LP/CD (Panic Button Records 2000)
• Weasel Mania CD (Fat Wreck Chords 2005)
  • Greatest Hits collection.

Links

The Official Screeching Weasel website